OK.gov, the official website of the state of Oklahoma, recently launched the release of a free Android government application, available now on your Android phone by searching for OK.gov. OK.gov for Android gives Oklahomans convenient access to Oklahoma government directly from an Android mobile device. The new application provides real-time access to state agency news, office location mapping, and professional licensee lookups.

“The state of Oklahoma is excited to offer citizens the opportunity to use this innovative application to gain access and knowledge about our local government,” said Governor Brad Henry.

Features of the OK.gov for Android application include:

• Agency Lookup – Quickly find agencies by keyword or category search. The application displays contact information including main phone number, address, and website address. It also offers a built-in agency location mapping system featuring directions and the option to call directly from the application.

• Professional Licensee Search – Easily search or browse over 122 Oklahoma licensee types from over 20 state agencies.

• Oklahoma Government News – Keep up-to-date with the latest news and announcements from Oklahoma state agencies.

“We are pleased to announce that the new OK.gov for Android is the first state government portal application released for Google Android mobile devices,” said Mark Mitchell, General Manager of OK.gov. “Along with the OK.gov for iPhone app, this new Android application allows the public to access Oklahoma government conveniently and advantageously through handheld mobile technology.”

According to www.admob.com, Android is Google’s Linux operating system for mobile devices. With more than 100k daily activations, Google rapidly produces updates to the Android platform and is the first in total Web and App usage in the U.S. and is second in smartphone sales behind RIM’s Blackberry. There are currently 60 compatible devices,50 carriers, 48 countries, and 21 OEM’s supporting Android. This mobile device has more than 50,000 Android Applications with more than 180,000 developers.

A Powerful New Information Tool That Will Give Consumers More Control Over Their Own Health Care and Allow Them to Compare Their Coverage Option

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today unveiled an innovative new on-line tool that will help consumers take control of their health care by connecting them to new information and resources that will help them access quality, affordable health care coverage. Called for by the Affordable Care Act, HealthCare.gov is the first website to provide consumers with both public and private health coverage options tailored specifically for their needs in a single, easy-to-use tool.

“HealthCare.gov helps consumers take control of their health care and make the choices that are right for them, by putting the power of information at their fingertips,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “For too long, the insurance market has been confusing and hard to navigate. HealthCare.gov makes it easy for consumers and small businesses to compare health insurance plans in both the public and the private sector and find other important health care information.”

HealthCare.gov is the first central database of health coverage options, combining information about public programs, from Medicare to the new Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance Plan, with information from more than 1,000 private insurance plans. Consumers can receive information about options specific to their life situation and local community.

In addition, the website will be a one-stop-shop for information about the implementation of the Affordable Care Act as well as other health care resources. The website will connect consumers to quality rankings for local health care providers as well as preventive services.

“This website is unlike any government website you have ever seen or used before,” said HHS Chief Technology Officer Todd Park. “It was developed with significant consumer input and is remarkably easy to navigate. This is despite the sheer volume of content it offers consumers: billions of health care choices through the insurance finder and more than 500 pages of new content, all of which is designed to grow with ongoing consumer feedback and as our health care system improves.”

As the health care market transforms, so will HealthCare.gov. In October, 2010, price estimates for health insurance plans will be available online. In the weeks and months ahead, new information on preventing disease and illness and improving the quality of health care for all Americans will also be posted. The website also includes a series of opportunities where users can indicate whether pages were helpful to them and we will continue to seek user feedback to grow and strengthen the site.

“People need to see what choices are offered, what options cost, and how coverage works in practice,” said Karen Pollitz, Deputy Director for Consumer Support, Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. “Today HealthCare.gov takes an important first step in that direction. In the coming months and years, we will add pricing and plan performance information so that consumers can see and understand and make meaningful choices about their health coverage.”

Nearly all major federal agencies now have a social media presence and are beginning to deal with the privacy, security and information management problems presented by Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other new media, officials said at a House hearing today.

Twenty-two out of 24 major federal agencies now use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, Gregory Wilshusen, director of information security issues for the Government Accountability Office, told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's Information Policy, Census and National Archives Subcommittee.

Although the Web 2.0 and social media have become more popular in government, for both internal and external use, agencies have problems managing privacy, security, records management and freedom of information regulations, Wilshusen said.

For example, the agencies are working to apply the Privacy Act of 1974, which protects personally-identifiable information, to social networking sites. There also are problems in determining how to appropriately limit collection and use of personal information and how and when to extend privacy protections to information collected and used by third-party providers of Web 2.0 services, Wilshusen said.

"Personal information needs to be safeguarded from security threats, and guidance may be needed for employees on how to use social media Web sites properly and how to handle personal information in the context of social media," he said.

In addition, Web 2.0 technologies, such as wikis and Facebook pages, present problems for federal records management and maintaining public access to information. Agencies may find it difficult to assess whether public comments on a wiki or a Facebook page are part of the official record and must be preserved, and how often the comments must be captured. This also contributes to problems in responding to Freedom of Information Act requests, especially with regard to social media sites run by third parties, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services“We provide uniquely specialized services to more than 77,000 Oklahomans with disabilities each year. Our Vocational Rehabilitation and Visual Services divisions help people with disabilities find..." more

OK.gov is the official website of the state of Oklahoma and a collaborative effort between the Oklahoma Office of State Finance (OSF) and Oklahoma Interactive, LLC to help Oklahoma government entities Web-enable their information services. OSF is responsible for OK.gov. Oklahoma Interactive operates, maintains, and markets OK.gov and is part of eGovernment firm NIC’s (NASDAQ: EGOV) family of companies.